Crayons!
I used to love crayons. A lot.
I’d entertain myself for hours with a pad of paper and box of Crayolas. My favorite part was probably the built-in pencil sharpener; but I liked the funny color names too. Did you know there was once a color called “Dirty Sneakers”? Or “Dingy Dungeon”?
Sometime around the years of fourth or fifth grade, crayons stepped aside to make room for markers, and later gelly roll pens. (Anyone remember those?) But on my first day of college, we were asked to make name tags… and they gave us crayons!
Everyone was so excited; you would’ve thought they were handing out candy. Or money.
Yeah, that would’ve been nice.
None of this has much to do with rice crispy treats, except that I was at the store a few days ago and spotted crayons on sale for 25 cents. So I bought a pack and threw them into the photoshoot.
The following is based on my Rice Crispy Treat Babies. I thought the chocolate version deserved its own post. Chocolate should never be just a side note. (By the way, don’t you think Crayola is long overdue for the creation of a “chocolate” crayon? Preferably a scented one. Then again… if they came out with something like that, it could be dangerous; I’d want to eat it! They’re probably better off sticking with the aforementioned dirty sneakers.)
Cocoa Crispy Treats
(can be gluten-free!)
Recipe inspired by these babies.
- 3 cups rice crispies (I used gf brown rice crispies)
- 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt (I used salted pb, too)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp nut butter of choice (For lower-cal option, see calorie link below.)
- 1/2 cup sticky sweetener ( (I used agave. For low-sugar options, see calorie link below.)
- optional: 1/4 cup cocoa powder (or your favorite chocolate protein powder)
- optional: melted chocolate to drizzle over the top
Mix your pb (or other nut butter of choice), sweetener, vanilla, cocoa, and salt. Melt (either in the microwave or stove), then pour over the cereal and stir very well, making sure to coat all the crispies. (For a richer chocolate taste, try subbing chocolate chips for some of the cocoa powder.) Form into balls or line a pan with wax paper and spread the mixture evenly into the pan. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the mixture, then press down as firmly as you can. Really press it down! Freeze for at least a half hour before slicing.
These treats can be stored in the freezer, in the fridge, or loosely covered in a cool, dry place. But, as with the non-chocolate version, the best place to store them is in your tummy.
Question of the Day:
Did you like crayons when you were little?
Honestly, I think my mom liked crayons even more than I did. Before discovering them, I had a love affair with smelly markers, and I’d always come home from preschool with dots all over my nose. Switching to Crayolas saved quite a bit of scrubbing my face :).
Also: I’m amazed so many people want to be CCK taste-testers!!!
Amazed and excited! But obviously the email idea is not going to work, and there’s no way I’m turning willing volunteers away. So I’m trying to find an easier way to share the recipes. Stay tuned. After figuring it out, I’ll post more info later this week. Thank you so so much to all the volunteers!
Crayons were the best. I loved markers too, but only when they were fresh as soon as they started to dry out I couldn’t stand them. And gelly roll pens rocked! Ahh the joys of feeling young again. 🙂
I just have to ask when you are going to post about you chocolate lava cake you mentiones some posts ago? It’s sounds amazing!!
Did you see my post from yesterday? 🙂
That is one of the choices.
I melted crayons in my easy bake oven to make one big, multi-colored crayon. I got in a lot of trouble for that one …
You should mold dark chocolate into a crayon form and ‘color’ on pieces of white chocolate with it, though i’m not sure white chocolate is vegan?
Apparently they make a vegan white chocolate. I always hated white chocolate though… ’cause it didn’t taste like chocolate lol ;).
Words cannot express how awesome I think this blog is. As someone with a life-threatening egg allergy, related to others with the same, it’s so nice to see a blog so dedicated to helping people overcome dietary restrictions and enjoy a delicious and healthy lifestyle. You are my newest hero.
Awww your sweet words made me smile so much, Janelle!
I still love crayons! Whenever I babysit, I’m usually the one to suggest coloring books, and I always join in on the coloring fun.
oh my gosh I remember gelly roll pens! I loved those. And these look amazing, I love the photos!
I loved all arts and crafts when I was younger. I went through a phase when I really loved pastels. That was a very messy/fingerprinty phase.
These rice crispy treats couldn’t be easier to make! I made a traditional batch about a year ago, with a big bag of marshmallows that I had to melt in a sauce pot. Yours are healthy enough to be an everyday treat. I should make them for my brother! It’s his birthday next week.
mmm i’d love to taste these out! i finally found a GF vegan rice cereal. there’s a few that are not labeled GF that have made me sick because they are made on equipment with wheat cereal.
i used to love crayons until i found out they are pretty toxic. i helped the daycare i used to work at get some nontoxic soy based ones. i’m not sure if crayola has changed it’s act since this, as this was several years ago, but we careful to wash your hands after you color and before you eat that lovely crispy treat.
not sure if this is a repost since the other one is missing….
mmm i’d love to taste these out! i finally found a GF vegan rice cereal. some that are not labeled GF can be made on equipment with wheat and make me sick.
i used to love crayons until i found out they are pretty toxic. i helped the daycare i used to work at get some nontoxic soy based ones. i’m not sure if crayola has changed it’s act since this, as this was several years ago, but we careful to wash your hands after you color and before you eat that lovely crispy treat.
I used Erowon, but I also saw that the Rice Crispie (Kelloggs?) brand now has a gluten-free version out.
I liked crayons, but I was more of a marker person….I liked the way it rolled!
And what do you mean by “Does anyone remember gelly rolly pens?” I still use them!!! Like everyday! They’re my favorite! And yes, I do use them to take notes and do my homework!!! LOVE them 😀
I used to love crayons, too! The sharpener was the best. But I think it only came in the 64 count box. I always had the 64 count box, even though the supply list required a much smaller box. Ah…one of the perks of being an only child 😉
I have an idea for your recipe tester dilema. Maybe you could make a few recipes available at the beginning (or end) of the week, and whomever wanted to test them could do so. Then, they could email you their results, or post it as a comment in a special blog post just for tested recipes. I’m guessing you are leary of posting untested recipes for the world to see, but maybe you could put something in the title like, “Chocolate Molten Lava Cake for One – WIP, ” with the WIP standing for Work In Progress. Just a thought…
I was thinking of something like that too… except I’m too lazy to make up a new blog lol. So maybe just a page that people can click on.
Also, am I showing up on your fb list now? I don’t know why I wouldn’t be there… I did like your page! 🙂
I still do like crayons 🙂 But I prefer watercolors or aquarels a bit more 🙂
These look so good! I love all Rice Krispies treats 🙂
I was more of a colouring pencils kind of girl!
This works for me! I am a sucker for cripy treats!
I did love crayons and coloring books when I was young (still do actually!)
Great recipe Katie, love the chocolate you added to these. 🙂
Did I like crayons when I was little? I love them now! I still draw people birthday cards using them.
I think crayola should come out with the Katie crayon-it could be chocolate colter and scented and hopefully vegan for you, just in case;)
Mmm well if they were to come out with edible chocolate crayons, I would hope they’d make an entire box of just the chocolate ones ;).